jack shaft garage door openers

suzuki2000

suzuki2000

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looking into a new garage door opener and I am considering a jack shaft opener. I did not know these existed until recently. I only knew about the old chain/bet drive systems. I know they cost a little more, but they seem pretty good from the reviews I am seeing.

Does anyone here have any "real world" experience comments?
 
Security is better. Harder to break-in, but they take a long time to open without the motor working. (relatively)

only real point is to have a clean ceiling.

(not mine...)
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For best results use a rolling door

rolling-steel-door-spring.jpg
 
dasiffy said:
Security is better. Harder to break-in, but they take a long time to open without the motor working. (relatively)

only real point is to have a clean ceiling.

(not mine...)
iadd2.jpg



For best results use a rolling door

rolling-steel-door-spring.jpg
Click to expand...
No it's not. It also allows you to fit a mezz floor (if your ceiling is high enough) a lot lower. I had cathedral ceiling garage and was able to drop my mezz floor by an extra 2 ft or so. I had a Liftmaster. It worked great. But you need to make sure your garage door is well balanced. Added bonus is that they're easy to fit so you can do it yourself if you're inclined.
 
Liftmasters will be the standard.
They are owned by everyone and their grandmothers on garagejournal. (Site where you will see your dream garage workshop). BEWARE: you will waste your next few hours browsing amazing work places.


Most commonly used to boost the effective usable height of a garage ceiling for car lifts.
 
MSRP said:
Liftmasters will be the standard.
They are owned by everyone and their grandmothers on garagejournal. (Site where you will see your dream garage workshop). BEWARE: you will waste your next few hours browsing amazing work places.


Most commonly used to boost the effective usable height of a garage ceiling for car lifts.
Click to expand...

Yup, garagejournal. I never experienced a higher level of envy until I went there..
 
What would be the rough cost to get a roll-up steel door installed in a residential application?

I need a new garage door anyway, and a roll up door would give me a lot more room for storage where the current door blocks access.
 
Diesel said:
What would be the rough cost to get a roll-up steel door installed in a residential application?

I need a new garage door anyway, and a roll up door would give me a lot more room for storage where the current door blocks access.
Click to expand...

That's extremely ghetto for a residential neighborhood. With new door-tracks that hug the ceiling + liftmaster, you should only be a handful of inches off the ceiling. Don't go with roll up door. Spend a few on the most viewed threads on GJ, you'll likely find a lot of storage ideas in lieu of a roll up door.
 
I have the Liftmaster 8500 on my 1-car garage, and have helped 2 other friends install the same on a 1 and 2 car garage. I can say that I love it!

First, it is VERY easy to install. 1 person can do it without any trouble in less than 2 hours. The hardest part is running all the wires for the sensors. The operation is fast, and relatively quiet once it gets moving. Has a nice slow start and stop feature so nothing is slamming. As mentioned, security is improved, as there is a deadbolt which activates in the door track preventing it from being forced open. Even if that hasnt activated, the opener effectively locks the jack shaft, meaning the person trying to loft the door must lift its full weight (and garage doors, especially wood, are HEAVY)

One thing to note, as this has been a challenge on my friends installs: one safety feature is a lift line tension sensor. If tension is lost on the line, it will stop the door movement. This needs about a 15cm x 15cm space next to your door tension line (which connects your door to the jack shaft). You might need to attach a piece of wood or other mount to get it to fit. Not difficult, but a bit frustrating when you are basically done the install.

I got it because storage space is at a premium. I use the overhead space in my garage for storage, so having a traditional style opener would effectively make half of my ceiling unuseable. Now I have room for hanging storage above the door, as well as hanging utility lights and air hose.
 
MSRP said:
That's extremely ghetto for a residential neighborhood
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really? I don't think there that bad. They'd be much better with windows though.

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Diesel said:
I need a new garage door anyway, and a roll up door would give me a lot more room for storage where the current door blocks access.
Click to expand...

In theory one might be able to mount a roll-up door upside down, making a roll-down door.
Dig a hole. Mount the door. cover with steel access plates.
-zero ceiling space required
 
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dasiffy said:
In theory one might be able to mount a roll-up door upside down, making a roll-down door.
Dig a hole. Mount the door. cover with steel access plates.
-zero ceiling space required
Click to expand...
Except gravity and the opening door go in the same direction. You would need the spring to get tighter instead of looser as the door moved. Making your own springs isn't impossible, but is is an added complication.

Roll-up buys you back most of the space without problems with ice/water/dirt messing with the mechanism. Personally I think they look like hurricane shutters, but I'm sure someone could come up with a way to improve the look (the easiest would be painting the look of conventional doors onto the rollup).
 
don't need a spring. The roll up door is attached to the drive shaft. It rolls over it like a measuring tape.
The sections follow a track, and the shaft is powered by a geared motor.
 
dasiffy said:
don't need a spring. The roll up door is attached to the drive shaft. It rolls over it like a measuring tape.
The sections follow a track, and the shaft is powered by a geared motor.
Click to expand...

Are these roll up doors springless? I've never had one apart to look inside. I would expect a spring to allow a smaller motor (or faster gearing).

I still think pushing something flexible up in the air is asking for trouble (although a simple modification would have the motor at the top and rolled door at the bottom, so at least you are pulling instead of pushing).
 
i saw it on "how its made" no spring (i think).
can't find a link

i don't think this is on the market (dibs on patent) So you'd probably have to talk to the manufacturer to see if it would work.
each section is steel so it would support any sections above it.


-patent pending.
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